Kolkata: West Bengal Government has taken special initiative to ensure strict maintenance of the 100-point roaster for new appointments in jobs under the purview of Reservation Act and Reservation Rule, besides 50-point roaster for promotions.

"The department is holding regular hearing of defaulter departments, institutions and organisations which fall under the scope and ambit of the said Act and Rule," state Backward Classes Welfare Minister Upen Biswas said.

Stating that a Bill on reservation of vacancies in services and posts for OBCs has already been passed by the assembly, the minister said the state government was now waiting for Governor M K Narayanan's consent.

"Reservation in jobs to SC and ST in West Bengal is 22 percent and 6 percent respectively, and 10 percent for the Other Backward Classes (category A) and 7 percent for the Other Backward Classes (Category B)", he said.

There are 60 recognised scheduled castes, 40 scheduled tribes, 65 classes under OBC category A and 78 classes under OBC category B. The Sikh community has been included in the OBC category.

As per the 2001 census, out of a total population of about eight crore in West Bengal, 23.02 per cent belonged to the SCs and 5.5 percent to the STs.

Though there was no census on OBC population, it was estimated that about 39 per cent of the total population belonged to that group, the minister added.